Responses (5)

Sorry, here it is:2 years ago, I got in a car crash, broke my neck among other bad injuries. About a.month ago I had my 2nd neck surgery. Since my accident, I've been on a lot of pain meds, Norco being the longest. It has stopped working so I'm getting ready to go get my first perscription of tramadol 50mg. I don't know what to expect but I have read that it isn't strong. What should I be expecting with tramadol (also getting a muscle relaxer) andhow much should I take to help with the pain? (realistily.. I know most of you are going to say 'take the amount your Dr says, blah blah blah)

You dont want to take more than 400mg in a 24 hour period. Tramadol needs to be taken on a regular basis rather than as needed. It works better when taken by the clock. this way it prevents pain rather than chasing it. Tramadol is different kind of pain med than Norco. It is a pain medicine but it also has antidepressant properties. If you take too much Tramadol it can cause seizures so it IS important on this one to stick to your dose as this medication lowers the seizure threshold. It can work quite well when taken regularly. If it isnt working, rather than increasing the dose, talk to your Dr because you dont want to go over 400mg in a 24 hour period.

Tramadol is one of those medications that work extremely well for some and not at all for others. Doctors like it since it's not a narcotic and a controlled substance in only about 2 states. It keeps the DEA off their backs. But Dzoo is right, it has some pretty strong consequences, so read and follow her post carefully. Best of luck to you! :)Lisa

It's now officially a controlled substance in NY state, and you need to get a new prescription for it each month, just like all the other controlled substances. I think this is new, as there were new signs at my pharmacy stating that all prescriptions for tramadol from now on now need a new RX each month, which is only done with controlled substances. NY has some of the toughest laws and regulations in the country though.

That means they must have made it a Schedule 2 drug. When Tramadol first came out physicians were lead to believe it wasnt addictive but after a few years on the market they found out for some, it is highly addictive and extremely hard to get off of. Some docs seem to believe this is still true (that is is less addictive or not addictive). It is not chemically related to opioids-it isnt made from natural or synthetic opiate alkaloids from the poppy plant like other opioids but it DOES act on the opioid receptors in the brain and this is what makes it addictive then pair that with the antidepressant properties, it makes it even more difficult for some people to stop taking it. Then there is the lowered seizure threshold and if you take high doses, you can seize and some have had seizures trying to come off of it. It is NOT a danger free drug by any stretch of the imagination.

Docs are getting dogged so much by the DEA though that many of them are trying to use Tramadol especially in areas where it is NOT a controlled substance. It is going to come back to bite them in the behind!

Oh, I agree it'll come back to bite them in the butt. I personally think that so many pain patients are going to become angry and frustrated from undercontrolled pain because of DEA regulations that they're going to rise up and fight back against the DEA. That's just my hope, actually, haha. Seriously though. They're a law enforcement agency, NOT a medical agency. They have NO RIGHT to say how much of medications can be given out, what medications can and can't be used, and what conditions that they can and can't be used for. They have no medical credentials, and they're making it near impossible for doctors to properly treat pain patients.

Absolutely! Since the DEA has started their war on prescribed medications, the heroin use in my state has gone through the roof. Both because the drug dealers aren't being pursued as aggressively, and unfortunately, because so many pain patients have been cut off with no help for their pain and have resorted to this as their alternative. So the crime rate has gone up, the street violence has increased and more people are dying. The increase in these crimes and violence did not occur until after the DEA started their campaign against prescribed medications. What a help they've been!Lisa

Technically, the analgesic properties of tramadol are roughly equivalent to codeine. However, because of its antidepressant properties, it may work better than the Norco. I kind of don't understand why they switched you to something that's technically less potent, but perhaps they're thinking the antidepressant properties may work well for your pain. I think the reason why antidepressants work for some for chronic pain is because serotonin and other brain chemicals also play a part in pain reception. It works for some, not for others. It all depends on the individual. I think it's worth a try. I tried it, it didn't work though. But I'm also naturally highly tolerant to medications. On the other hand, my sister can take half a pill and it gets rid of all her pain. Follow Dzoo's advice, definitely never take more than 400mg in one day. If it still doesn't work at that max dosage, you can always try Nucynta, which is related to tramadol but more potent.